A little Culture comparison

My sadness came soon after the fall of communism. It began with extreme materialism. People, (In their excitement), seemed to want everything yesterday .

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, Apr 1, 2009

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My sadness came soon after the fall of communism. It began with extreme materialism. People, (In their excitement), seemed to want "everything yesterday". Then began the desire to be modern, like Americans. Oops! there goes our music.

Yes, they did advance quickly into modern life but this means that people don't sing anymore, just like Americans. modern music seems, (to me), to have no tune only rhythm without words that are discernible..

I am speaking here in general terms and "they" are the younger generations. I do thank God for those of our youth who maintain music and dance through the folk groups.

In 1971, my first visit, to (Kúty) I experienced my first Hody, (thanksgiving), in celebration of the consecration of the church of St. Joseph, on the Sunday closest to the fifth of August, (Feast Of Our Lady of Snows ) . On Saturday a brass band (dychovke), went from house to house in preparation for the start of the celebration on Sunday .

The Romi dressed their young in the dirtiest rags and they went house to house chanting, "Tecinu, Tecinu daj nam drobne za Hody". They had a cloth around their shoulders, bulging with pastry.

Hody started, (officially) when the priest proclaimed it at the last Mass on Sunday morning. From there, people went home to celebrate with their relatives, a BIG dinner. Families came fro ear and far to be together for Hody.

During the afternoon the children begged their parents to take the "na kolotoc~", the whirling rides", in the center of town..

At sundown, Streets were crowded with people going to the grounds, (next to the football field), to start dancing, singing and drinking.

The band was seated in a wooden, raised building at one end of the area and dancers had a wooden floor to dance on,circled by tables. This party lasted until Sunup. In our town, (Kúty), the last dancing is called "Valena". The band begins playing a slow C~ardas~ and the Older teenage boys fall to their hands and feet, turning over and over until the band plays faster, then rising and dancig the hopping steps, hands raised, while whistling and hooping, (kric~at').The music then goes back to the slow c~ardas~ and the floor movements continue. Meanwhile, the sweating boys begin to strip their clothes until they
are in their underwear, continuing to the last man who is loudly
cheered.

People then go home except for the drunken football players, who go to the field to play.

In Kúty, Hody begins lasting, until the following Saturday, ("Malé Hody"), ending with a dancing in a large hall. It also closes at sunup with dancing the Valena.

Valeana was danced, only on the Hody.

Now, Hody begins on Friday night at the disco. Music is no longer played in the streets and Romi no loger "roam". Kolotoc~ still comes and the music still plays but the older people no longer attend the dance. Valena is still danced but is danced year-round at big parties and weddings. The music is no longer Dychovka but played with all modern instrumets and mostly modern. Singing is minimal.

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